Verkeerder Kill Falls, Cascading waterfall in Ulster County, United States
Verkeerder Kill Falls is a waterfall in Sam's Point Preserve on the Shawangunk Ridge in New York, with a drop of about 187 feet (57 meters). The water runs down dark rock walls and is surrounded by a forest of dwarf pine trees that grow close to the ground.
Dutch settlers who arrived in this region in the 17th and early 18th centuries gave the waterfall its name. The land around the Shawangunk Ridge was later protected and eventually became part of a network of nature reserves managed by conservation groups.
The name "Verkeerder Kill" comes from Dutch and roughly means "wrong stream" or "backward stream." Hikers walking the trail today pass through one of the few places in the United States where dwarf pine trees grow naturally at this scale.
The waterfall is reached by a hiking trail inside Sam's Point Preserve, roughly 3 miles (5 kilometers) one way from the entrance. Good footwear is helpful since the path crosses uneven terrain and exposed rock, and an entry fee is collected at the preserve gate.
The waterfall forms at the point where two small streams meet just before the water goes over the edge. This joining of two separate flows at such an exposed ledge is uncommon in the region and can be seen clearly from a viewing point near the top of the falls.
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